When to file EDD SDI for scheduled surgery? Need advice on reporting both W-2 and self-employment income

You're doing the right thing by planning ahead! You can't file until AFTER your first day of disability (which would be your surgery date). Don't file early or your claim will be rejected. For the income question, SDI will calculate your benefit amount based on your highest quarter of earnings during your base period. This includes both W-2 and self-employment income, but you must have paid SDI taxes on that income. If you've been paying Self-Employment Tax on your business income, that should be included. You can estimate your weekly benefit amount using the EDD's calculator on their website. With your income level, you'll likely qualify for the maximum weekly benefit which is $1,620 in 2025 (if I remember correctly). Make sure your doctor has all the paperwork ready to submit their portion of the medical certification promptly after you file. This will help avoid delays in processing your claim.

just fyi you still have to wait the 7 day waiting period before benefits start so youll get paid starting the 8th day after your surgery not right away

I had surgery last year and I waited until the day after to file. Something important to know: make sure your doctor submits their part ASAP. My claim was delayed for 3 weeks because my doctor's office was slow filing their part, and I couldn't get anyone at EDD to tell me what was happening. Super stressful when you're trying to recover and worried about money!

When I had my surgery in November, I couldn't get through to EDD to ask questions about my claim for WEEKS. I finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual EDD representative in about 25 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ?si=1hcSq3KFtCr4oAmd Totally worth it because the rep was able to see my doctor had submitted everything but there was a flag on my account for the income verification that needed manual review. Would have never known otherwise and might still be waiting!

HEADS UP ABOUT SELF-EMPLOYMENT INCOME!!! I went through this exact situation last year and it was a NIGHTMARE. If you haven't been paying INTO SDI through your self-employment taxes correctly, they WON'T count that income toward your benefit amount. I learned this the hard way and got WAY less than I expected. ALSO, make SURE you have proof of your self-employment income ready to go. They asked me for a TON of documentation - tax returns, profit/loss statements, bank statements showing business deposits, everything! And even WITH all that, they initially calculated my benefit wrong and I had to appeal. The system is NOT set up well for people with mixed income sources!!! Be prepared for a fight!!!

One important thing to understand is how EDD calculates your benefit amount. They look at your highest-earning quarter in your base period (typically 5-18 months before your claim). The weekly benefit amount is approximately 60-70% of your average weekly earnings during that quarter, up to the maximum benefit amount. For mixed income sources like yours, EDD should consider all income on which SDI contributions were paid. Your W-2 employer automatically withholds this, but for self-employment, you need to have opted into the Disability Insurance Elective Coverage (DIEC) program and paid those premiums. If you didn't elect DIEC coverage for your self-employment income, only your W-2 wages will count toward your benefit calculation. If you did elect coverage, make sure you have documentation ready showing you've been paying those premiums. The current maximum weekly benefit amount for 2025 is $1,620, which you'd likely qualify for based on your combined income if all sources are covered under SDI.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful information! I just called my doctor's office to make sure they know I'll be filing for SDI right after surgery and they said they're familiar with the process. I'm going to look into whether I've been properly paying into the DIEC program for my self-employment income - I honestly thought regular self-employment tax covered it, but now I'm not sure. I'll also gather all my income documentation now so I have it ready. And I'm definitely going to try that calculator to get an estimate for budgeting purposes. One more question - when I do file after surgery, is there anything I should be careful about when completing the application to make sure it goes smoothly?

Hey Raj! Just wanted to add one more tip that saved me a lot of headaches - when you file your claim, make absolutely sure you list ALL your employers and income sources in the application. Even if you're not 100% certain whether your self-employment income qualifies for SDI, list it anyway. It's better to provide too much information than to leave something out and have to amend your claim later. Also, if you have any pay stubs from the last 18 months (especially from your highest-earning quarters), scan those and keep them handy. EDD sometimes asks for them to verify your reported wages, and having them ready can speed up the process significantly. One last thing - set up direct deposit if you haven't already! Paper checks can get delayed in the mail, and when you're recovering from surgery and dealing with reduced income, you want your benefits to arrive as quickly as possible.